HA
Member
CAMH Welcomes Ontario's $2 Million Investment in Methadone Treatment
TORONTO, July 26 /CNW/ - The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
(CAMH) welcomes today's announcement by the Minister of
Health and Long-Term Care, the Hon. George Smitherman, of $2 million to improve
treatment for people with opioid addictions.
$1 million of the new funding will be allocated to recruit more doctors
to prescribe methadone and other treatments and to expand CAMH's role as a
provincial resource providing training and professional support for nurses,
counselors and pharmacists.
"CAMH and other treatment centres offer Methadone Maintenance Treatment
programs due to the success of this type of drug treatment strategy and most
importantly, demand by those in need of this service," said Judith Tompkins,
Executive Vice-President of Programs and Chief of Nursing Practice and
Professional Services at CAMH.
Methadone Maintenance has been shown to be an effective way to treat
people who are challenged with opioid addictions. Research also tells us that
it reduces the risk of overdose as well as the risk of HIV and other
infection. It also reduces drug-offence arrests by helping people reduce their
use of heroin or other opioids.
"CAMH and other mental health and addiction service providers have been
calling for increased funding of addiction services," said Tompkins. "This
announcement marks a very positive and encouraging step forward on the part of
the province in supporting our work to treat people challenged with addictions
and to enable them to stabilize their lives and to become better integrated
into the community."
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is one of the leading
addiction and mental health organizations in North America and Canada's
largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital. CAMH is a Pan American
Health Organization and World Health Organization Collaborating Centre, and is
fully affiliated with the University of Toronto. CAMH combines clinical care,
research, policy, education and health promotion to transform the lives of
people impacted by mental health and addiction issues.
For further information: Michael Torres, CAMH Media Relations
Coordinator, at (416) 595-6015 or Public_Affairs AT camh.net
TORONTO, July 26 /CNW/ - The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
(CAMH) welcomes today's announcement by the Minister of
Health and Long-Term Care, the Hon. George Smitherman, of $2 million to improve
treatment for people with opioid addictions.
$1 million of the new funding will be allocated to recruit more doctors
to prescribe methadone and other treatments and to expand CAMH's role as a
provincial resource providing training and professional support for nurses,
counselors and pharmacists.
"CAMH and other treatment centres offer Methadone Maintenance Treatment
programs due to the success of this type of drug treatment strategy and most
importantly, demand by those in need of this service," said Judith Tompkins,
Executive Vice-President of Programs and Chief of Nursing Practice and
Professional Services at CAMH.
Methadone Maintenance has been shown to be an effective way to treat
people who are challenged with opioid addictions. Research also tells us that
it reduces the risk of overdose as well as the risk of HIV and other
infection. It also reduces drug-offence arrests by helping people reduce their
use of heroin or other opioids.
"CAMH and other mental health and addiction service providers have been
calling for increased funding of addiction services," said Tompkins. "This
announcement marks a very positive and encouraging step forward on the part of
the province in supporting our work to treat people challenged with addictions
and to enable them to stabilize their lives and to become better integrated
into the community."
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is one of the leading
addiction and mental health organizations in North America and Canada's
largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital. CAMH is a Pan American
Health Organization and World Health Organization Collaborating Centre, and is
fully affiliated with the University of Toronto. CAMH combines clinical care,
research, policy, education and health promotion to transform the lives of
people impacted by mental health and addiction issues.
For further information: Michael Torres, CAMH Media Relations
Coordinator, at (416) 595-6015 or Public_Affairs AT camh.net
